Peach Liqueur

February 7, 2008 /

As with any fruit liqueur, the most important thing to look for in peach liqueur is an intense fruit flavor and aroma. Conversely, avoid any brands with a cough medicine-like taste. We recommend Mathilde Peach.

Liqueurs are sweetened, flavored spirits that were originally used as a digestif after dinner. Today they are most commonly used in cocktails or for cooking and baking. The base of a liqueur, which can be brandy, rum, whiskey, or another alcohol, is flavored with ingredients like fruits, herbs, spices, seeds, or flowers. The flavor of these ingredients can be added by four different processes: the ingredients are blended directly with the base before they are distilled together (distillation); the flavorings are steeped in hot water, which is then added to the liquor (infusion); the ingredients are simply steeped in the alcohol base (maceration); or in some cases, the alcohol is dripped through the ingredients to absorb their flavor (percolation).

Since cheaper liqueurs are often made with artificial flavorings, more-expensive bottlings are often a better choice. The use of high-quality ingredients and time-consuming extraction methods result in higher prices but better, more complex flavor.